AFL Victoria hints a statewide interleague competition could be established after “huge success” of metropolitan championships last year

AFL VICTORIA says representative football is here to stay, declaring the return of metropolitan championships last year a “huge ­success”.

A new football competition that will pit Melbourne's best amateur players off against each other will be contested for the first time this year. The city centric competition is based on country football championships where the state's best lock horns for bragging rights. (L-R) Peter Mercoulia (SFL), Matt Cravino (EDFL), Chris Waller (VAFA), Justin Van Unen (EFL), Ryan Jackson (NFL) and Jason Cloke (WRFL).

AFL VICTORIA says representative football is here to stay, declaring the return of metropolitan championships last year a “huge ­success”.

As the state’s governing body prepares to host the 2015 AFL Victoria Metropolitan Championships in March, general manager Steven Reaper said last year’s competition had proven representative football had a place in the calendar and hinted a statewide championship — including country leagues — could be established.

“AFL Victoria believes strongly in the importance of representative football and the opportunity it provides for players at community clubs to test themselves at a higher level,” he said.

“We will continue to look at all options available for representative football in both metropolitan and country Victoria, including the possibility of a statewide championship in the ­future.”

But for now, AFL Victoria has stuck with the same format as last year for the 2015 championships, with three matches to be played back-to-back at Visy Park on March 28.

After beating the Eastern Football League by 46 points last year, the VAFA remains the top-ranked metropolitan competition and will this year play the Northern Football League in a battle of first and second.

The Eastern Football League will take on the Western Region Football League in the clash between the third and fourth ranked competitions while the Essendon District Football League and Southern Football League will face off in the match between fifth and sixth.

Reaper said the leagues and their players had provided great support to the championships as interleague football returned from a 15-year hiatus in 2014 — and he expects that to continue this year.

“The support we received from the metropolitan leagues was outstanding and their feedback regarding the concept was overwhelmingly positive,” he said.

“Because of this feedback and support, we are looking forward to another exciting day of representative ­football.”